MCA: Teresa Kok's attempts to shift blame for syariah law amendments 'comical'

PETALING JAYA: MCA has slammed DAP vice-chairman Teresa Kok for her “comical” attempts to shift blame over proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act to MCA and Gerakan.

MCA publicity bureau chairman Datuk Chai Kim Sen said Kok had refused to apologise to the Chinese community for the proposed amendments and even tried to pin the blame on others.

Kok, who is also the Seputeh MP, had previously slammed MCA for not stopping Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Jamil Khir Baharom from challenging the proposed amendments put forward by PAS in Cabinet on March 27, 2014, and demanded that MCA apologise over the matter.

“Teresa Kok’s accusations are baseless and irresponsible, as MCA was not in Cabinet at that time” he said, adding that Kok had humiliated herself for not “doing her homework”.

“After the 13th general election, MCA was disappointed with the results and decided not to enter the Cabinet. MCA only entered the Cabinet in June 2014 and all these information can be sourced online,” he said.

Calling Kok’s accusations “baseless and irresponsible”, he claimed that DAP had advocated PAS during the 13th general election and told voters there was no reason to fear hudud.

The proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 were first put forward by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang through a Private Member’s Bill last year, which seeks to increase the limits of punishments for syariah offences.